New community center opens in Ninth Ward

A $20.5 million community center funded by FEMA grants and city bonds has opened in the Lower Ninth Ward. The Andrew P. Sanchez & Copelin-Byrd Multi-Service Center at 1616 Caffin Street officially opened its doors today. It will replace the previous center, which was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

The two story, 65,000-square-foot Sanchez Center features a health clinic, swimming pool, gymnasium, art and dance studios, and is the first of three new New Orleans Recreation Development Commission recreation centers opening this year.

The center was designed by Perez, APC of New Orleans and constructed by Gibbs Construction.

In a statement, Cedric Grant, Executive Director of Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans said the building was a major step towards revitalizing the area. “This community center was designed and built to meet this community’s needs by including space for a health clinic, senior center, and NOPD substation,” said Grant.

The health clinic will open later in June and will be operated by the non-profit Baptist Community Health Services. A senior center will open in July.